The Promise (28 page)

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T
om couldn't recall being this happy since . . . well, he didn't know when.

The whole family was back together at his parents' house, including Uncle Henry and Aunt Myra, all gathered around the long dining room table with all the leaves inserted in the middle. Way down there on the end next to Mom sat Charlotte. She seemed like part of the family now, just sitting there smiling, taking everything in.

They were just finishing up a perfect roast beef, cooked the old-fashioned way, like when they were kids. Big enough for everyone to have plenty, surrounded by tender roasted potatoes and carrots, lots of hot brown gravy, fresh bread from the bakery, and a small bowl of horseradish for the braver souls at the table.

As the meal unfolded, Tom had a hard time not thinking about something his dad had said out in the parking lot of the church, just before they got in the cars to come here: that he had two fairly big surprises for him and Jean this afternoon.

“How big?” Tom had asked.

His father just smiled and said, “You'll see.” The smile had put Tom at ease. Whatever they were, at least from his dad's
perspective, they were good surprises. Now that the dinner was wrapping up, Tom kept looking at his dad for some signal that it was time to unveil the surprises.

“Hey, Tom, after church Dad said you had some kind of big secret to tell me today.” It was Doug, who was sitting directly across the table. Doug now knew the whole story about Tom and Jean's situation. Tom and Doug had met for breakfast yesterday morning and he filled Doug in.

Tom looked at his dad for some clue as to what he had told Doug. His dad smiled then held up his hand to block his face from view, just like Tom had done in that YouTube video the day he stopped the robbery. Tom laughed, then said, “Okay, I get it.” He looked at Doug. Then Tom got an idea. “Hey, everybody, listen up a minute. Today, Dad said he's going to share some kind of secret with us. Well, I've got one of my own.”

Everyone ended their conversations and turned to listen to what Tom had to say. Tom watched as a knowing smile appeared on his dad's face. “You're not gonna believe this, but everything I'm about to tell you is totally true.” Tom spent the next ten minutes telling the whole family the robbery story, ending with why he had to flee the scene before his identity could be revealed.

As he talked, their faces registered a combination of shock and surprise, but the look on Doug's face was priceless.

Once Tom finished, Doug said, “That was you? No way. No stinking way! You're like a celebrity, dude. You need to go public with this. Seriously.” For the next few minutes, everyone at the table debated about whether or not Tom should reveal his secret to the world. Doug argued the loudest that he most definitely should.

Finally Tom said, “I don't think so, little brother. This one's going to have to remain an Anderson family secret.”

“But I have a feeling,” Jean said, “we will all be hearing that Anderson family secret fairly often for many years to come.”

Everyone laughed, except for Charlotte, who seemed properly confused.

“Hey, everyone, my turn.” Tom's dad stood at the head of the table.

Tom watched as he reached behind him for a box of tissues on the hutch. What in the world?

“I was trying to think of a good time to do this,” he said. “Now seems as good a time as any. I'm sure we're all pretty full and need a little time before dessert. I'm going to do my best to try to get out what I have to say without totally losing it. Hence, this box of tissues.”

“I have a feeling I know where you're going with this,” Uncle Henry said. “Hope you're willing to share that tissue box.”

“Take as many as you need. In fact, let me start with you, Uncle Henry and Aunt Myra. There really aren't words to describe the depth of gratitude I feel in my heart toward the both of you right now. The love and care, the patience and sound advice you've given my family these past several months have been like a gift from God. Marilyn and I are so grateful, and we love you both so much.”

“That goes for Jean and me too,” Tom said.

Marilyn reached for her napkin and dabbed her eyes.

“And now to my kids,” Jim said. “I have some things I want, and need, to say to you guys. I've said some of this privately to Tom, but I want the rest of you to hear it. I am so sorry for the poor example I've been for the better part of your lives. Often I was harsh and legalistic . . . and controlling. I wasn't a good listener and far too often had far too much to say.” Tears now welled up in his eyes.

In Tom's eyes too. He couldn't believe his dad was saying all these things in this setting.

“But God has gotten hold of my heart and opened my eyes to a new way to be. Uncle Henry was telling me about this teacher
who totally changed his life years ago. He committed himself to be there for your uncle and was willing to do whatever it took to help him succeed. I want to be more like that teacher in your life, Tom. From now on. To both you and Jean. And the rest of you too.”

Tears began rolling down Tom's cheeks. He wiped them away.

His dad continued. “Uncle Henry helped us understand how the Anderson men have been too proud to change and do the right thing for their children, for three generations now. Tom, that's the legacy you've been following these past five months. But you've put an end to it, and so have I. Like Uncle Henry did years ago.” Jim looked at Marilyn and said softly, “And sweetheart, I'm so sorry you had to live through so many years of my ‘Anderson ways.' Now I get to spend the rest of my years living the way God wants me to, making up for all that lost ground.”

“Jim,” she said, “you don't have to say—”

“I do have to say it,” he said. “I want to say it. I want the kids to know how serious I am about setting a new direction.” He looked up at the family. “I know this is a bit awkward for you guys, and maybe even a little corny. But these things are important. I love you all so much and I—” He started choking up.

“You're doing just fine, Dad,” Tom said.

Jim whispered, “Thank you, Tom.” Then said to everyone, “Well, anyway, I better get to those two surprises I told you about. Your mom and I have talked this over, and we thought of a way we could be a blessing in your life, and not just with words. You told us about the level of debt you're in now since you lost your job. And your plans to short sell the house, which will leave you guys with nothing. I also know how much you want to get that IT certification finished, so you can get a better job. So here's what we'd like to do.” His father's eyes looked upward, not toward heaven but the loft upstairs.

“We'd like to invite you guys to move in with us. You can
have the entire upstairs, rent free. There's more room up there than most three-bedroom apartments. You've got two baths and the whole loft area for a living room. The only thing we'd have to share is the kitchen. And you can stay here as long as it takes to get your certification and get out of debt.”

Tom could not believe what he'd just heard. He looked over at Jean. Tears poured down her face.

“So . . . what do you think?” his father said. “Are you interested?”

Tom looked back at Jean. She was nodding and smiling. Tom stood up. “Dad, Mom . . . I don't know what to say.”

“Say yes,” his mom said, reaching for another napkin.

“Yes,” Tom said. He hurried around the table toward his father and threw his arms around him. Both men were crying now, shedding tears for much more than this moment. Years of hurt and pain all being washed away.

Uncle Henry said, “I think a new generation of Anderson men is being created here today.”

Just then, the doorbell rang.

“Who could that be?” Allan said.

Tom and his father released their embrace and stood by their seats. “That's my next surprise,” Jim said. “Allan, you seem to be the only one here in any shape to open the door. Could you let Nathan in?”

“Who's Nathan?” Doug asked.

“He's a young man who goes to our church,” Jim said. “And he also happens to be an excellent photographer.”

“Photographer?” Michele said. “Are we going to take a family portrait? I wish you'd warned us. I don't even like this dress.”

“I wouldn't do that to you ladies,” Jim said. “I wasn't thinking of a big family portrait. Not today anyway. But two smaller ones. The first would be of all the men in the family. Including you, Allan, and you too, Uncle Henry. Like Uncle Henry said—we're
going to start forming a new legacy in this family. I think we should have a new portrait that reflects that. And second . . .” Jim turned around and opened the hutch drawer. “I snuck this from your house the other day, Tom.”

Tom looked at what his father was holding and instantly knew what he had in mind.

The broken portrait.

Jim held it up for the whole family to see. “I think we need to redo this one. Because . . .” He started choking up again. “Because, as you can see, it's broken and . . . we're not anymore.”

Tom swallowed hard. “That's a great idea, Dad. Can't believe you thought of it.” He looked over at Jean. “Do you want to get Tommy fixed up or do you want me to?”

Her tears started up again. “I'd love to.”

“I thought we'd take this portrait in front of the fireplace,” Jim said, still holding the broken one. “Make it just like the original. I'll sit in a chair with Tommy on my knee, and Tom, you stand behind me, hands on my shoulders.”

“Only this time,” Tom said, “all three of us will be smiling.”

“And . . .” Jean said, as she stood up, “this time I get to pick out the frame.”

Later that evening, after all the portraits had been taken, the food all put away, the kitchen all cleaned up (by the Anderson men, of all things), and all their good-byes said, Tom and Jean walked through the wraparound porch and down the front sidewalk toward their car parked out front on Elderberry Lane.

Jean carried Carly, who had fallen fast asleep. Tom led little Tommy by the hand. Just before opening the back car door to let him in, Tom bent down so that he was looking his son right in the eyes. “Hey, Tommy, I want to tell you something.”

“What, Daddy?”

“You know I've lived for a lot of years now.”

“I know you're way older than me,” Tommy said.

Tom smiled. “That's right. And I've met a whole lot of little boys in all that time. But do you know which little boy is my favorite little boy in the whole world?”

Tommy looked right at his father with a curious and somewhat concerned expression. “No, Daddy, who?”

The way he said it was so precious. Tom could tell, he really didn't know. “You are,” he said, poking Tommy in the belly. “Nobody else even comes close. Come here.” With that, he picked up his son and spun him around.

Dan:
I'd like to thank my coauthor, Gary Smalley, for being such a joy to work with and for dedicating your life to improving the quality of family relationships all over this nation for so many years.

I want to thank the love of my life, Cindi. I cherish her input and advice, reflected throughout these pages. But I'm grateful for more than her help with this book; her wisdom and discernment throughout the parenting years made it possible for me to experience real breakthroughs with my children, which is really why we now enjoy our time together as adults even more than when they were kids.

I also want to thank my editor and friend, Andrea Doering. What a blessing it has been to be able to work with the same editor for so many books. A rare privilege in this business, and one I don't take lightly. I'm grateful for the entire staff at Revell, who make all the behind-the-scenes things happen. Folks like Twila Bennett, Michele Misiak, Robin Barnett, Claudia Marsh, Kristin Kornoelje, and so many others.

On a local level, I want to thank Phill Gabriel for all his input
on what it's like to be an “IT Guy.” I'd also like to thank my Word Weavers critique group in Port Orange, Florida, for their input on several of these chapters. I want to thank my friend and pastor, Ray Dubois. After serving as a pastor for twenty-five years, I find it such a joy to finally experience being pastored by someone else, especially someone as kind and caring as Ray.

Lastly, to my fabulous agent and friend, Karen Solem, who takes such great care of me and helps me navigate through the ever-shifting maze of the publishing world. Her work sets me free to just write, which is what I love to do the most.

Gary:
I'd like to expand on what I said in my dedication comments at the beginning, about my son and daughter-in-law, Amy. Michael just turned forty years old. I may be the dad and much, much older, but Michael has been used by God on several occasions to literally save my life and marriage. Even as a child.

When he was only a few weeks old, he had developed a serious stomach problem, and his physical problems forced me to cut down on travel. I had to actually take a different job at the company where I worked at that time. At first, I was a little irritated at him for being so sickly but, as it turned out, his serious condition caused me to remain in my home after work hours for over a year. During those days, I would watch my fellow workers driving by my house, waving at me on their way to the airport. “Wish you were with us,” they would say as they drove by. But during that year, I learned a valuable lesson: it was so much better to be at home with my wife and kids than to travel to all these cities, working on these big seminars. Michael's illness saved me from becoming a workaholic and from the grind of the whole airport scene.

Then, there was one of the biggest “salvation” moments of my life, when my kidneys failed. Michael and Amy stepped up to the plate, and we discovered he was a perfect transplant match
for me. Nearly ten years later, I'm doing great physically, though he still has some leftover pain from the transplant. Thank you Michael, literally, for life itself.

Finally, Michael stepped up the plate again when he saw I was stressing out too much over the amount of travel and speaking I was still doing in my early seventies. He talked to each of my doctors and discovered they also believed I was too stressed from all this traveling and all these speaking engagements. He called my wife and me and lovingly told us that he and my doctors had agreed I was actually killing myself. We listened and agreed with him, and again, he was the major factor in saving my life.  

Today, I'm thrilled with the reduced pressure in my schedule, and he's even working on a plan to support me financially in my very old, senior days on earth. I'm so thrilled to have him as my son!